Understanding the Science of the Brain

There is a shift in the way we look at mental health taking place around the world.

Advances in brain imaging, brain stimulation, molecular tools and data science—combined with a growing understanding of how the brain, social factors and physiology are interconnected—are challenging the existing knowledge of how mental illnesses are classified and ultimately, the treatments we provide for them.

CAMH scientists and clinicians are looking at these conditions and disorders through new lenses, exploring how changes in brain function are linked to behaviours and symptoms related to mental health.

It's a paradigm shift. We're beginning to unlock opportunities to identify and respond to these illnesses based on their true underlying causes and to design precision treatments that account for the unique needs of individual patients. These new perspectives make it clearer than ever that mental health must be treated like every other health issue. It's the only way we can continue the work necessary to give the one in three Canadians affected by brain disease or disorder—and by extension, their family, friends, colleagues and caregivers—the help, and the hope, they deserve.

Leading the Way

Through innovative programs and the unique set of resources within the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute—including our world-class brain-imaging centre, genetic and molecular labs, big-data computing expertise and more—CAMH is leading in many significant fields of brain science research.

Every day, we strive to break new ground on the questions that will contribute to a greater understanding of the healthy brain, the changes associated with brain illness, and the processes taking place that cause these illnesses to progress.

Some of these questions and initiatives include:

advancing a modernized approach to mental illness that links to perspectives from the brain, the rest of the body, the social context and environment, across the lifespan

changing the view of the brain as a set of information-processing circuits

Inspiring Hope Through Discovery

For patients and their families, our discoveries are a sign of things to come— that with continued investment in evidence-based and research-informed prevention and treatment, mental illness can be understood, managed and overcome.

We are committed to continuing collaborative efforts to undertake and translate our research into new diagnostic and therapeutic options for patients at CAMH and worldwide. We will continue to discover new ways to understand, prevent and treat brain-related conditions. Looking to the future, we remain focused on providing opportunities for a new generation of young scientists. And we will continue to generate knowledge that generates hope.

CAMH Foundation CAMH Foundation provides updates on the mental health movement and ways you can get involved.

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